Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Satisfied - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Satisfied Blazer Fan - March 29 - 2:00 am

  My Blazer has 20K miles on it and havent had a moments trouble. It has never been back to the dealership for anything. Fit and function are better than the big three average. Paint job quality is excellext. I have driven 4 different Blazers in the last eight years and plan to continue this buying trend.

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  Gotta Love It! - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 05Z71 - March 28 - 5:23 pm

  If you want a real truck that can work, haul the kids, tow the boat and look good while your doing it--- This is the right pick. Just make sure you have a gas card because you will find yourself always wanting to go for a ride.

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  A True Sports Car - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SleeStack - March 28 - 2:00 am

  Since this is the hardtop version, it comes equipped with the 6-speed manual and sport suspension. The ride is very stiff and you feel every bump but it also corners like it is on rails. This is a sports car and it drives like one. There really is no other vehicle in the world that can compare to the Corvette. There are only a handful of better handling or faster cars and all of them cost at least twice as much. I do not recommend the hardtop as a daily or city driver. I highly recommend it for use as a SPORTS car.

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  Heathers car - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Heather - March 28 - 2:00 am

  Everything has went really well except the alternater went out and made my battary go dead and left me stranded because i forget my cell phone. It has excellent gas milliage and gets me everywhere i want to go!! have fun!! Its the perfect car for me im a teenager!!!!!

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  Mommas Baby - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By msrotti - March 28 - 2:00 am

  I purchased my baby March 2000 and I have not had not one disappointment!

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  Wow - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bearlemley - March 28 - 2:00 am

  A very sticky car that needs no replacement for displacement. Perfect for a long commute, Sunday mountain roads or a long road trip.

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  Like vehicle, hate MPG - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Teresa - March 27 - 5:23 pm

  I researched and reviewed this vehicle for close to a year, reading everything I could find on it, then waited and waited until it was available to purchase. VERY disappointed with gas mileage, since that was one of the most important things to me. I have the LT FWD, and got 21.5 on a trip last summer. Get about 15 around the small town where I live. I really like everything else about the vehicle, but the mileage figures are a joke! Also, the head rests on back seat hindered vision until I figured out how to remove them.

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  Chevy Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By JLong - March 27 - 5:20 pm

  I love my Equinox! The price is excellent and it drives beautifully. It looks great, is a great deal, and is loaded with desirable options like satellite radio, side airbags, and sound system.

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  Very uncomfortable seats, auto stop is terrible! - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By nick - March 27 - 5:49 am

  I really want to like this car, 3 things that I hate. the auto stop is really annoying and actually I have found it almost unsafe at moments, at least make an option to turn it on and off. The seats are really uncomfortable, like very. Oh and the seatbelt is terrible and strangles your waist because it gets wayyyyy too tight as you drive, sadly i might have to put a clothes pin at the top.

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  Great car! Reliable transportation! - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Fran0196 - March 27 - 2:00 am

  Got my 98 Malibu as a company car. Its been a very reliable car! Only the routine maintenance (oil change every 3000 miles etc.), 2 brake jobs, 1 altenator, belts. Only one major repair, waterpump started to leak at 66000 miles and needed to replace. Overall I am quite happy with the car, my car now has 75000 miles. I live in Hawaii so I do not travel far, but the driving I do is a lot of stop & go. I think the constant idling of the car is worse than long distance driving.